Threat of snow forces Haydock officials to inspect on Saturday morning

Haydock’s meeting on Saturday, featuring a Supreme and Champion Hurdle trial and the Peter Marsh Chase, will have to pass an inspection at 7.30am on raceday due to the threat of snow.

The official going at the Merseyside course is good to soft, soft in places with rain forecast on Friday.

The possibility of such rain turning to snow has forced the morning inspection but clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright is confident racing will go ahead.

Tellwright said: "The forecast is for rain, possibly turning to sleet and snow. Our concern is that it will fall as snow.

"I think we will race but it would be foolish not to have an inspection."

Brain Power was on Friday morning not declared for The New One Unibet Hurdle with five runners contesting the Champion Hurdle trial – Global Citizen, Mohaayed, Silver Streak, Pingshou and Western Ryder – won by the former Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained stalwart in the past four years.

Angels Breath, favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, was not declared for the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle at Haydock. Stablemate Mister Fisher is among six heading for the race, whose recent honour roll includes Peddlers Cross, Cinders And Ashes, Aso and Neon Wolf.

Musselburgh’s jumps fixture on Friday was cancelled due to frozen ground, with ground temperatures at the East Lothian venue dipping to -6.9C overnight and not set to rise sufficiently by noon.

Read The Briefing from 8.30am daily on racingpost.com with all the day's latest going, weather, market moves and non-runner news